The Mess that I've Made
by hsds
Summary: Alternative Universe fic that picks up where 516 left off. It's short and sweet and very DS centric.
1. Chapter 1

_**The Mess that I've Made**_

**Pairing:** Dan and Serena

**Summary: **Dan struggles with the mess he has created by dating Blair. This is mostly a DS fic, so if you are a db fan this isn't the story for you.

**Author's Note**: As always a special thank you to my great beta Emma. This story will not be like my other fics where I try to incorporate other pairings.

Chapter 1:

Dan watches Blair walk down the hall, a small smile on his face until he saw the broken look in Serena's eyes. Something inside him catches. The look on her face fills him with a guilt that's been eating away at him for weeks.

_She told me she loved me and I said nothing._

He told Blair he would leave because he didn't want to make this moment even more difficult for Serena, but seeing her like this made him want to reach out, say something. She was sad because of him and there was nothing he could do to take away her pain. Dan didn't even understand why this was weighing on his mind so heavily, but the idea that Serena was hurting because of something he did or said made him ache.

Blair did all the things required of a best friend, but Dan couldn't shake the feeling that she was overcompensating out of some over-arching sense of guilt. They were currently in limbo. Neither a couple nor not one. Dan dressed in the same suit that Alessandra had him fitted for when his book came out. He sat in the pew next to Blair who comforted a distraught Serena. Dan felt impotent. He wanted to be there for her, to reach out, to comfort her, but it was no longer his place. He was the guy her bestfriend was dating, but he knew they were more than that, much more.

He watched as she laid a single white rose on CeCe's casket before they lowered her into the ground. No one understood how much that woman meant to her as much as he did and all he could do was stand mutely in the background. Afterwards, they held a reception in CeCe's honor. The family was surrounded by friends, but he knew that glassy look in her eyes. So, Dan did the one thing that he knew he shouldn't, but he simply couldn't help himself. He pulled her away from the crowed and down the hall.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

Serena stiffened her back and put on that fake smile of hers. "I'm fine."

"Don't do that. Don't pretend with me," He demanded.

Her eyes began to water and she said, "Don't. Just go. Blair's waiting."

"Is this what we've become? Why can't we be friends?"

Serena smiled sadly at him and said, "This is the only way we can be. We were never just friends and now you're in love with my bestfriend."

_In love? What did that even mean. Dan wasn't sure that's what he felt for Blair, but he knows its what he once felt for Serena. _

"So, that means we can't be close? I thought we could talk about anything."

Serena turned around smoothed her skirt. She walked away from him and it was in that moment that Dan had begun to realize what he'd done. He thought he could have it all. His friendship with Serena and a relationship with Blair, but life was rarely that simple.

* * *

Serena spent the weeks following her grandmother's death living with her mom and Rufus. She couldn't stand the idea of seeing Dan and Blair together. It was too painful. Blair was over-compensating and she felt like if she stayed at the Waldorf's she'd be smothered by her fake-love. It's not that Blair didn't love her, but she rarely paid this much attention to her. She had barely left her side while she was burying her grandmother. While she appreciated the gesture, it made it difficult for her to breathe. Seeing her around Dan hurt more than she could ever put into words. She enjoyed being pampered by her mother, and getting to know her real cousin was a nice distraction. It was still so much to take in. Losing Dan, her grandmother and the person she thought was her cousin all at once. But, she was determined to move on with her life and creating distance between herself and the very source of her heartbreak was the best thing she could do.

"Hey, you look like you have a lot on your mind," Asked Charlie.

"I do."

"So, you still haven't talked to Blair? You know you can't hide out here forever."

"I know, but I don't think I could deal with living in that house, knowing that she was spending her nights with him."

"So, don't. New York is a big place and you're not exactly strapped for cash."

"You're right. I should move, we should move. Let's do it together," Serena said as she excitedly hugged Charlie. Her cousin was taken off-guard and said "What do you mean 'we'?"

"We can move in together. Trust me, hanging with Rufus and my mom gets boring after a while."

"I don't know. I love spending time with everyone, but this is all happening so fast," Charlie replied.

"Just think about it," Serena said as she went through a mental checklist of all the things she needed to get done.

Serena spent the next few weeks packing. She and Charlie had found a nice place on Morningside. They had looked at something a little more upscale, but this was something they could both agree on. The move was a great way for her to focus on anything other than Blair and Dan's burgeoning romance. There were the usual sightings on Gossip Girl that made her stomach lurch and the breath catch in her throat, but she was determined to focus on the future. She was in the middle of packing her third and final box, when she heard small tap on the door.

"You don't have to knock Blair. This is your house after all."

But, it wasn't Blair. His hair was getting longer and she could tell he had been running his fingers through his dark mane.

"It's me."

She turned back to what she was doing in an effort to calm her emotions. Her hands were shaking and she couldn't seem to concentrate on what she was doing.

"Turn around," He whispered.

"I…. I can't."

"Serena this is silly," He said as he moved closer to her. He reached for her hands and held them between his. "You're shaking."

"I'm just tired."

Dan released her hands and made her look at him. What he saw devastated him. She looked like she was on the brink of tears and he knew that this had everything to do with him.

"You don't have to move out because of me."

"It's a fresh start. It's better this way."

Dan ran a frustrated hand through his hair and said, "You keep saying that, but you're not convincing anyone. You can't just runaway, pretend that this isn't happening."

"What am I supposed to do? Watch my bestfriend be with the only man I've ever loved? Well I can't. Just cause you turned off your feelings for me, doesn't mean it's as easy for me to do the same."

She looked at him pleading for him to say something, anything, but all she got was the silence of his guilty gaze.

"It's not like that. It's not that simple," He said.

"Then explain it to me. Explain how you could just stop loving me so easily."

Serena's anger began to take hold and she grabbed the first thing she could find; a picture of them in junior year and tossed it at him.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Lashing out! No matter what I do it's not good enough. You don't want me, but you still want to keep me close and that's not fair. Dammit, it's not fair to me."

He grabbed her wrist and held her body against his. He could feel the heat radiating from them both and he knew that he was in trouble. Before he realized it, he was kissing her, his hands in her hair as she clung to him. Her heart was beating and all she knew was that what she was doing was wrong, so she reluctantly pushed him away.

"I can't do this. Dan, you have to leave."


	2. Chapter 2

**The Mess that I've made**

**Author's Note:** This fic is written a bit differently than my others. I hope you like it.

**Chapter 2: Hurt's so bad**

Weeks go by and he can't dispel the feeling in the pit of his stomach. He's tried calling and texting her and all his attempts have fallen on seemingly deaf ears. Dan desperately wants to talk out what happened with Serena. He needs to understand, but he knows that she can't give him the answers that he needs; only he can.

His jittery behaviour does not go unnoticed by Blair; she accuses him of retreating from her of not letting him in. Dan denies it, but he knows she is right. Things haven't been the same since he kissed Serena. All those feelings he thought he had for Blair seem to be slipping away, but he's too busy trying to figure out some way to get Serena to speak to him again.

Blair comes to the loft one day, tears in her eyes. Dan wraps his arms around her and asks what's wrong.

"I think I've really screwed things up."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"Serena, she's still not talking to me. I thought our friendship could survive this; survive us."

Dan purses his lips, the gravity of what he's done finally hitting him.

_I've destroyed a lifelong friendship_

"Just give her time, she'll come around," he says. Dan's not just talking about Serena and Blair. He's in flux and he doesn't know how to fix what he's broken. He doesn't even understand what he's feeling.

* * *

Charlie and Serena get settled in their new apartment, each of them adding their touch. Her cousin is easy to live with. She's very laid back and is the opposite of Blair. She misses Blair's constant need for perfection and her innate neediness. Charlie is the least needy person she's ever met, but you can't go back. Blair broke something between them that she's not sure can ever be fixed. Serena knows that she hurt Blair years ago by sleeping with Nate, but she stayed away for years. Blair didn't even try for a day. That's a fact that burns more than the heartbreak that he caused. Things are complicated now because she hasn't spoken to either of them for nearly a month.

Serena picks up her phone and thumbs through her contacts till her finger rests on his name. She thinks about deleting him, but she knows that would only be a temporary solution, to a permanent problem. Her thoughts begin to drift back to an earlier time when she was happy and she wonders if she is simply living in the past.

"Are you still moping?" Charlie asks.

Serena simply smiles. It's hard for her to understand what she feels. She doesn't blame Charlie.

Charlie sits on the bed beside her and wraps her arms around Serena. "Listen, I know they broke your heart, but you have to move on. It's been months."

"It's not that easy. I still love him."

Charlie pushes the hair from Serena's face. "I understand, but you can't live your life under a cloud of darkness. Come out with us tonight. Have a little fun."

Serena reluctantly agrees and she even dresses up. The music and the drinks carry her away for a while. Charlie's friend David is immediately smitten. He's cute and his dark features remind her of Dan. They dance and later he helps her into a taxi. David is a gentleman. He's also sweet and funny and for a moment she feels like she did in high school—alive and hopeful.

David calls her the next day and she agrees to go out with him. They go to dinner and a movie and almost immediately the information is all over Gossip Girl. Nothing is ever private for Serena. It turns out David is learning to be a composer. He writes her a song on their third date and she immediately recalls the story Dan wrote about her and then the scathing version he put in his novel and whatever nostalgia she felt dissipates.

Serena is mildly happy, but she still misses him every day. When David kisses her, she sees Dan's face. She even calls him D because it's easier and makes her forget that she's not dating the love of her life.

Dan punches a wall when he finds out about Serena and what is obviously his replacement. His anger catches him off guard and he blushes when his father asks what happened.

"I lost my temper?"

"Did Blair go back to Chuck?"

"It's not about Blair," he mumbles as he attempts to go back to his writing. Rufus looks right through him and figures it out.

"Why are you still with Blair if you want her back?"

"It's too late. I messed up."

Rufus pats him on the back and says, "Trust me it's never too late."

He leaves Dan to his thoughts and he simply looks at his bruised knuckles and goes back to writing. When he didn't want to think about how he was feeling, he'd just write it out. It was always easier that way, but he reaches a block and shuts his laptop. Dan knows his father is right. He's being unfair to Blair, but how does he do this. She lost her friend because of him and now he's got to find a way to end this.

Dan hums and haws, attempting to start the conversation that would break another girl's heart, but she saves him the trouble.

"I know what you're going to say Humphrey. Don't give me that look. You don't have to feel guilty. We both know this isn't working. We're in love with other people; we never should have done this."

She hugs him and kisses him on the cheek and smiles back at him as she leaves. They came in with a bang and went out with a whimper.

He was free now, but he still didn't have the one thing he wanted more than anything.

It's raining when Dan shows up at her place. His curls stuck to his forehead and his clothes dripping on the floor, she lets him in.

"What are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you."

She gets him a towel and removes his coat. Dan smiles at her and reaches for her hand. She jumps back like his touch burns. The hurt is in his eyes confuses Serena.

"Dan, you can't just come back thinking nothing has changed."

He hangs his head in shame. Dan is keenly aware of the pain he has caused her and just wants to take it all back. "I know. I know that I've hurt you. I'm just asking for another a chance."

Serena let's a tear slip down her face. She's come too far to let him pull her back in. "I can't. You're only here because she dumped you. I'm not going to be anyone's second choice."

"You were never second choice; not to me."

"I wish I could believe that," she says.

Dan hearts breaks a little at her words. He knows he deserves her lack of faith, but it still burns him. He leaves her alone, but not before promising to convince her that he loves her.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note:** This chapter is a little short because it's a transition chapter.

**Chapter 3: Not Enough**

Serena closed the door and fell to the floor, her tears flowing freely. This was the moment she was waiting for and she let him go. She knew that she had made the right decision, but it still hurt. She lay in a heap for hours; her only comfort was her tears. Charlie came home and found her there.

"Serena, are you okay? What happened?

But Serena didn't say a word. All she could do was cry. It was like all the grief she had kept bottled inside had come flowing out. For months, she tried to be strong, to be stoic, but now when she got the one thing she wanted it all came pouring out.

Dan knew it was going to take every arsenal in his play book to convince Serena that he wasn't just settling and that what he felt for her was real. He'd never really gotten over her despite his thing with Blair. It's not that he didn't care for Blair, he did, but it just didn't compare to what he felt for Serena. She was always there. Whenever he thought he was over her, she'd find a way to inadvertently sneak back into his heart. He knew he had a lot of work ahead of him and no real guarantee of convincing her, so he started with the basics. Every girl loved romance and flowers. So, he ordered enough gerbera daisies to fill three rooms. He managed to exhaust his credit card, but it was well worth it.

Serena came home from class to find the entire apartment filled with her favorite flowers. She picked up a daisy and inhaled its gorgeous sent. She didn't even need to look at the card to know who sent it, instead she called the florist and had them all returned.

A week later, a delivery man arrived with a copy of her favorite book 'The Beautiful and the Damned.'

Serena texted him, 'Nice try, Just leave me alone.'

While she found his efforts sweet it wasn't enough to put her heart on the line again. Flowers and her favorite book were not going to make her take a risk like that. It was easier to be with someone like David who adored her and who could never break her heart than to take a chance on Dan again.

It had been three weeks and he'd managed to use every grand gesture he had up his sleeve, but he should have known that it wouldn't be enough. Maybe it really was too late.

_How do you unbreak someone's heart?_

He tried writing and nothing seemed to flow anymore. Words were simply clusters of sounds put together; lacking in any real meaning. Attending class was something he did out of routine rather any real desire to learn. Dan needed for her to forgive him, but now he was left with the knowledge that he had fucked things up beyond measure.

_He wanted her friendship_

_Her love_

_He wanted her_

Two weeks later, Nate found him surrounded in a maze of booze, stale coffee and video games. It looked as if he hadn't left his place for months.

"Dude this place is a fucking mess. You're a fucking mess."

"Doesn't matter," He said as he went back to playing DOOM.

Nate grabbed the PlayStation controller and threw it across the room. "Get up."

"You just ruined my record."

"Get up, Dan."

Dan simply lay back on the couch and threw a blanket over him. Nate knew he was being stubborn.

"Dude, you can't just bum around doing nothing for the rest of your life."

"Doesn't matter."

"I can't believe you're taking this break up so hard."

Dan looked at him quizzically. "Breakup? This isn't about Blair."

"It isn't?" Nate asked.

He pushed Dan's feet aside and sat next to him on the tattered couch, "Serena?"

"Serena."

"You fucked that up real good, man." Nate said matter-of-factly.

Dan simply sighed and took a swig from a half-empty bottle of tequila. "Oh man, drinking in the middle of the day?"

"She won't forgive me."

"Give her time," Nate said as he grabbed the bottle from Dan and took a swig.

* * *

Serena was painting her toe nails when Nate came over and sat down beside her. "Charlie isn't here."

"I'm not here for her."

She stopped for a minute and looked at him, "What's up?"

"He's a mess."

Serena didn't even need to ask who he was talking about. Her stomach did a little flip. It was part joy and part guilt for enjoying that she could cause him pain.

"Not my fault."

Nate looked at her and said, "Come on. We both know you're crazy about him. How much longer are you going to torture the guy?"

How could she explain what she felt? She couldn't put herself out there; she wouldn't. No one could hurt her like Dan could.

"I'm not torturing him. I don't want him out of default."

Nate started to laugh a deep throaty laugh. "Default? Serena you're nobody's default. He messed up, but any idiot could see that he's loved you this entire time."

Serena reached over and kissed him on the cheek. "You're sweet Nate and a very loyal friend."

"So you're going to talk to him?"

Serena simply shrugged and went back to doing her nails.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Mess I made**

**Chapter 4: Friends Again**

Dan knew his efforts were fruitless and that objects were not going to convince Serena to forgive him. He knew how he felt and it was up to her to believe him or not. He just wished there was some way to turn back the clock, but he'd have to just wait. Eventually, she'd come around. In the meantime, he decided to throw himself into a new project; he opened up an old file that he hadn't touch in well over a year, the original draft of inside before he had made certain changes. He didn't really know what he was going to do with it, but it was high time he told the story he initially intended on telling.

Serena knew she was being unreasonable, but she couldn't seem to help herself, her heart couldn't trust itself around Dan. He would just draw her back in and she couldn't shake the fear of another broken heart. She still couldn't help the hurt pride when he stopped making overtures. It had been a few weeks since she'd heard from him. The gifts stopped, so had the texts, emails and phone messages. She would listen to his voice on loop just so she could hear him speak. Maybe she was testing him and just like he had last year, he failed again. Serena knew that if she pushed him far enough, eventually he'd stop being there for her-just like every other man in her life.

A soft knock on the door stirred her from her thoughts. She opened it to find her mother on the other side.

"What are you doing here?"

Lily moved past her daughter and said, "We need to talk."

"About what?"

Lily placed her bag on her lap and said, "What you're doing to Daniel."

Serena crossed her arms across her chest, "What I'm doing? He's the one that broke my heart."

"And what do you think you're doing now? Is it a contest to see whose heart can break the most? The boy is a mess and so are you."

Serena didn't want to hear anything her mother had to say, she wasn't exactly good at relationships herself.

"That's not fair. I'm trying to move on."

Lily rolled her eyes and tried not to raise her voice at her daughter. "Move on? With David? He's like Dan with a little pharmaceutical help. I know what you are doing. I've done it myself. Stop punishing him and stop running dammit before you've talked yourself into multiple marriages and lost out on years of your life."

Serena didn't say anything. She simply grimaced because she knew her mother was right.

How did you go about undoing a series of mistakes that led you to where you stood? That was the question that Dan was contemplating. Giving Serena space was eating away at him, but more than anything he missed her friendship. So, he picked up a pizza and decided to invite himself over.

Serena opened the door and found Dan standing there with a pizza in one hand and a boyish grin on his face. "Apology pizza."

"Shouldn't I be the one saying sorry?" she asked as she ushered him inside. He placed the pizza on the counter and smiled at her, her eyes were swollen and he could tell she had been crying. He ran his thumb across her face and said, "Did I do this?"

Serena opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out. His touch sent a shock through her system. Dan always had this kind of an effect on her. He patted the spot next to him and they ate in companionable silence.

"So are we just going to sit here and be all awkward with each other forever?" He asked.

"I don't want to be," Serena said as she looked up at him with a smile. She put away the remains of the pizza and found a movie for them to watch. They got comfortable on the couch and focused on the movie instead of talking about what was on both of their minds, but for now this would half to do.

Nate and Charlie stumbled into the apartment, laughing loudly and more than a little drunk. They stopped in their tracks when they saw Dan and Serena curled up on the couch. Nate smiled and led Charlie into the other room.

A few minutes later, Serena stirred. Dan's hand had managed to get tangled in her long hair, and she gently moved his hand, went into the other room, got him a blanket and covered him. She watched him sleeping and her breath caught. He was so beautiful when he slept. Serena wasn't sure what was going to happen between them, but friends had to be a good start.


	5. Chapter 5

The Mess I've Made

**Chapter 5: Stolen Hearts**

**Author's Note:** This is the final chapter in this story. I hope you've enjoyed it. This chapter is particularly cheesy so be warned.

Dan's heart was beating a mile a minute as he printed out the last few pages of his next book. What was meant to be a rewrite of INSIDE had turned into a whole other story, one that was more fact than fiction. He finished the ending with more than a touch of irony for he was finally able to write the happy ending he couldn't seem to attain in real life. Dan's alter ego Darren got his heart's desire while his remained unfulfilled. It was ironic that what he was happy to have months ago just wasn't enough for him now . Dan put the pages in his rucksack and made his way to Alessandra's office.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show," Alessandra said as she greeted him with a smile.

"I had to get this just right."

"Well, I certainly hope its as good as you say.

"I think it is," He said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets. Although, Dan was nervous about what Alessandra would think, it was Serena's opinion that mattered the most. He still hadn't gotten a copy to her and wasn't sure when he would. Whereas INSIDE contained snippets of his life, this book was much closer to what he had actually experienced.

Dan needed to make one more stop before he went home. The rest was up to time and fate.

Serena was still thinking about the conversation she knew she needed to have with Dan when the doorbell rang.

"Serena Van Der Woodsen?"asked the messenger.

"That's me."

"Sign here," He said as he handed her an electronic pad. She signed for the package and closed the door. It was from Dan. She had no idea what he could be sending her, but it was probably important. She opened it up and found a copy of what was probably his latest book. There was a small envelope with her name on it.

**_'Dear Serena,_**

**_This will be my final letter. You're probably sick of them by now. This was what INSIDE was supposed to be. I changed some names, but you know the story as well as I do. I know I promised we could be friends, but we've never just been friends. It's always been more than that, you and me. So, this is my final plea. If it's not enough I understand. What I put you through this year is difficult for anyone to forgive. Just remember, no matter what has happened that I've never loved anyone the way I've loved you and I never will._**

**_-Dan'_**

Serena folded the letter and placed it on the table. It was all a lot to take in. She had so many thoughts going through her head. A part of her was afraid to read what Dan had written because the last one had hurt her so badly. She wasn't fully ready to read his version of who they had been and who'd they become, but she knew she had to.

For three days, Serena stared at the stack of papers that represented her life with Dan, and avoided reading them. She just wasn't ready. It was one thing to know how she viewed them, but she wasn't ready to read his version. She was still sitting there staring at the pile of papers when Charlie came in and sat down beside her.

"You've been staring at those pile of papers for days. What's in them?" Charlie asked.

"Dan wrote about us and I'm not sure if I'm ready to read it," Serena said as she bit her lip.

"I'm sure it's nothing like Inside."

Serena wrung her hands and said, "What if it is? What if it changes the way I feel about the past? I used to think he loved me once, what if ...what if he never did?"

Charlie laughed. "Are you kidding me? The man adores you. Granted he seemed kinda caught up in Blair, but that wasn't something that was ever going to last. From what Nate has told me you have a history that no one has been able to compete with. This book can't change that and it won't."

"I just wish I wasn't so scared."

"Just read it. There's a reason he wanted you to read it. Why would he give it to you if it was going to hurt you?" Charlie said before patting her on the back and leaving her alone. Serena knew that Charlie was right, but it didn't ease her nerves. So, she did the one thing she had been avoiding for days. She picked up the stack of papers and started reading.

Dan was pacing so often that he was sure he'd born a whole through the hard-wood floors. It had been 3 days since he had sent Serena his book and still no word. This was his last ditch effort. He told her he couldn't be friends. He'd thrown all of his eggs in one basket and had gotten nothing in return.

"You're an idiot, Humphrey."

"Pretty much," Nate said. He was worried about his friend. He knew about his grand gesture and he also knew how much it was going to kill Dan if he didn't get the response he wanted, but he also knew how much Dan had hurt Serena.

"Dude, you think its going to be easy for her to read this book after the last one? Give her time. You can't just expect her to come running into your arms and everything."

Dan sighed and said, "I know. I just don't know what else to do."

"Wait. You know how she is. She's probably afraid to read the damn thing. Come on, you can try and beat my DOOM record."

Dan rolled his eyes and set up the game. They played throughout the day and it was pretty late when the door of the loft creaked open. Dan turned around and saw her standing there clutching his manuscript. Nate put his game console down and grabbed his coat and left them alone. Dan got up and headed towards where she was standing.

"I read it."

"I figured," Dan said as he stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Stolen? That's kind of a grim title for a love story," She said as she smiled that smile he loved so much. He inched closer and pulled the manuscript from her hands and placed it on the counter.

"I thought it was fitting," He said.

Serena smiled at him and said, "Always the pessimist. One of these days, I'll teach you to be optimistic."

"You always were an excellent teacher."

She walked closer to him and pulled him closer. "So, Selena and Darren got their happy ending, I think it's about time we had ours."

"Not an ending, a beginning," he said as he kissed her gently. He couldn't stop kissing her; her lips, her cheek, her eyelid. This moment was everything he had hoped for, but a part of him needed to be convinced it was actually happening. "Is this real? Are you really here?" He whispered in between kisses.

"I'm here. It's real. We should probably talk."

He grabbed her face and kissed her again. "Later. We'll talk later. Now, I just want to hold you."

Words were the last thing on either of their minds that night. They were both caught up in reveling in the joy of their reunion. Serena knew for the moment that she read the first few pages that all her fears were for naught. Dan was able to make her believe again with his words. Seeing everything they'd been through written in black and white made it hard to deny or to doubt any longer. They had both hurt each other in immeasurable ways over the last two years, but that did not change the fact that their love was true. Something always brought them back to each other and this time she wasn't going to run. She was tired of running from her destiny.

"What are you thinking?" Dan asked as he ran his fingertip along her spine.

"About us. The words you wrote. We really have overcome a lot."

"We have," he said with a self-satisfied smile.

"We're going to make it Dan. I know we will. I'm done running."

"So, am I. I guess we're both finally ready."

"I'm ready for our forever," Serena said as she kissed him softly.

THE END…


End file.
